Healing Scars
by Kinkatia
Summary: Mountain bandits attack Sango and Kagome on the night of the new moon. Can InuYasha help Kagome overcome her fears? Or will someone try to use those fears against her? InuxKag, some MirxSan.
1. And So It Began

**Forgive me, but I have to put off working on other fics for this one! But if you want, you can yell at me for it in a review. It might motivate me to work on them sooner! Oh, and no one is permitted to injure and/or kill me or Otulia in any way for what we are about to do. **

**Otulia: That's right! Oh, and we don't own InuYasha. Got that?**

Healing Scars

Ch.1: And So It Began

"I think we should be getting back, Sango," Kagome said worriedly, looking at the dark trees around them anxiously.

"You're probably right. We don't want the guys to worry too much," the demon slayer replied, stepping from the hot spring and wrapping herself in her towel.

Kagome did the same, drying herself thoroughly before getting dressed. "InuYasha's probably going to be angry at us for sneaking away like this," she remarked, glancing up at the moonless sky.

"He'll get over it. It's not like we could pass up a chance at a bath."

The two girls began making their way through the forest back to their camp. Kagome shivered. The trees seemed to be closing in around her, and she felt as though someone were watching them. "Sango," she whispered. "I've got a really bad feeling about this place."

Suddenly, two haggard men leapt from the underbrush, smirking. "Lookie wha' we've found, two li'l lassies all alone in de fo'est," the taller one said with a laugh.

"Wha' a prize, wha' a prize," the other said, an evil glint in his eyes.

"Back off," Sango warned, fervently wishing she'd brought her hiraikotsu along, instead of leaving it behind at camp.

"Feisty, ah we?" the tall man chuckled. "Ah'l de betta. Ah like meh lassies wit a li'l fight in 'em." He stepped toward Sango and took hold of her arm. She swung her other arm in a fierce arc at his head, but he stepped aside, pulling her with him, and making her lose her balance. He smacked her hard, stunning her, as the other man grabbed Kagome, dragging her off into the trees.

"Let go of me!" Kagome shouted, trying to fight him off. But he was too strong for her.

"Ah, shut yer trap, will ya'?" the man grumbled, throwing her to the ground. In an instant, he was on top of her, grinning maliciously. "Yer ah'l mine, now, lassie. Ya'd do best tah keep quiet."

"Help!" she screamed, trying to push him off. "InuYasha!" Maybe he would hear her and come to her rescue. Maybe…

He hit her in the jaw, and pain caused her eyes to fill with tears. Fear overwhelmed her, and she continued to struggle, but in vain. She couldn't get away.

* * *

Sango regained her senses quickly. Mountain bandits. She'd encountered them before, though never so far down a mountain. They must have been getting desperate. In any case, she had to get away and find Kagome. Quickly. She heard her friend screaming off in the trees somewhere. 

"I told you to back off!" she shouted angrily.

"An' wha' ah ya' goin' tah do, eh?" the man taunted.

He was stronger than her, all right. And he knew it, too. But Sango knew something he didn't. Pressure points.

Not a moment later, her assailant collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Hurriedly, she ran in the direction the other bandit had taken Kagome. A thousand thoughts rushed through her mind. If only tonight wasn't the night of the new moon. InuYasha would have caught the scent of the bandits. Or at least he would have heard Kagome crying out. Why did she have to pick tonight, of all nights, to be careless and go into the forest unarmed? Gritting her teeth, she blocked these thoughts from her mind, focusing all her senses on saving Kagome.

She found them a few minutes later, following Kagome's desperate cries for help. She stumbled through the underbrush to see Kagome pinned to the ground, half undressed, struggling with the man holding her down. Without a second thought, Sango picked up a rock and threw it at him, hitting him squarely on the head, knocking him unconscious. He fell forward onto Kagome, who shoved him off and scrabbled away from him. Sango rushed to her side.

"Kagome, are you okay?"

"Sango, he…he almost…" She burst into tears, shakily re-clothing herself. Sango helped her to her feet and back to the path.

"It's alright now, Kagome. Let's go back to the others now. You'll be safe there." She continued saying reassuring things as Kagome clung desperately to her arm, not even noticing when she started to repeat herself. All she could think about was how stupid she was to have let that happen. It was her fault, entirely.

* * *

Shippo was sound asleep, curled up next to Kirara. She had transformed before joining him in sleep, and was now resting peacefully. Miroku sat on the other side of the campfire, his staff by his side, staring up at the canopy of leaves above them. 

InuYasha was staring angrily into the leaping flames of the fire, waiting impatiently for the girls to get back. He couldn't believe they'd take the risk of sneaking off to some hot spring, completely unprotected in dangerous territory, on the one night he wouldn't be able to smell out any trouble. They'd hear it when they finally showed up.

He looked up when he heard someone approaching. He could make out sobbing, and a soft voice, though he couldn't hear the words. He stood, tensed, his senses alert for trouble. Miroku looked up as well, his hand firmly on his staff.

Sango stepped into the firelight, holding onto a disheveled and dirty Kagome. The priestess was shaking badly, her eyes, wide with immeasurable fear, trained on the ground.

"Kagome!"

She looked up at the sound of his worried voice. "InuYasha!" she cried, breaking away from Sango and running into his arms, clinging tightly to him. Her legs gave out under her, and InuYasha sank to the ground with her, holding her tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Sango, what happened?" Miroku asked, just as concerned as InuYasha.

"Mountain bandits," she hissed angrily, her hands balling into fists. "One of them tried to force himself on her." She sighed angrily and sat down, shaking her head. "I'm just thankful I got to her in time."

InuYasha nearly growled. "I'll kill them," he said angrily, starting to get up.

"No," Kagome pleaded through her sobs. "Don't…leave." She was still shaking, and pale as a ghost. Sighing sadly, InuYasha remained where he was.

"It's alright, Kagome," he whispered in her ear. "I won't let anything like that happen to you again."

She cried until she was out of tears, dry sobs racking her body. She was terrified, but she felt safe in InuYasha's arms, and slowly, she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

**Don't kill me! I know it was a horribly written chapter, and I know I was mean and horribly cruel to Kagome, but still, don't kill me! If you give suggestions for the plot, it'll be much appreciated, and I might be inspired to rewrite this chapter and make it better. Either way, please review! I'm so insecure about this one!**


	2. A New Journey

**Surprisingly, no flames last chapter. Wow. **

**Otulia: Uh…we don't own InuYasha.**

A New Journey Begins

InuYasha and Miroku sat up all night, keeping watch should there be any other mountain bandits lurking around. Luckily, if there were any, they made no appearance, and the night passed peacefully.

Dawn broke, and InuYasha's demon powers came rushing back. He was finally able to relax, his keen sense of smell telling him that no one was anywhere near their camp. But the scent of the bandit was all over Kagome, and he had to use all his willpower not to growl angrily. He didn't want to wake her up, not when awakening would only bring back to her memories of the night before. No, he would let her sleep.

But she awoke anyway, with a start, not realizing at first where she was. When she tilted her head to look up at InuYasha, he could see a bruise starting on the side of her face. "InuYasha," she whispered quietly, her voice sounding so terribly fragile. "I want to go home." She wasn't simply making a statement, or demanding he take her back to the well. She sounded almost as if she were asking for permission, and this sudden change rent a hole in his heart.

He nodded. "'Course you can go home," he replied softly. "We'll go back today."

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes misty. She buried her face in his haori, crying again, but this time, they were silent tears. InuYasha held her gently, wishing desperately that he knew how to console her.

* * *

The group walked in silence for most of the day. Kagome stayed close to InuYasha, and would jump at every sound coming from the underbrush. They didn't take their usual rest stops, and no one protested when InuYasha kept them going. When Kagome tired, InuYasha carried her on his back, and she clung to him gratefully.

Shippo hung back with Sango and Miroku, desperately wanting to know what was wrong with everyone, but not wanting to be the one to break the uneasy silence. He was beginning to wish he hadn't started using earplugs when he slept so he wouldn't be woken by InuYasha's loud mouth. Something had obviously happened after he'd dozed off. Kagome seemed really afraid, InuYasha was being unusually nice, Sango looked almost angry, and Miroku hadn't done anything perverted the whole day. What in the world could be wrong with them?

It was late in the afternoon when they approached Kaede's village. InuYasha turned to the rest of the group. "I'm gonna take Kagome home," he said. "You guy go on ahead to the village."

Miroku nodded, and InuYasha bounded off with Kagome. The monk sighed and led the way into the village.

They were greeted by Kaede. "Where are Kagome and InuYasha?" she asked.

Sango and Miroku exchanged a glance. "InuYasha took Kagome back to her world," the demon slayer answered.

The old priestess looked them over gravely. "Come inside, and tell me what has happened."

* * *

InuYasha slid open the well house door. "Wait," Kagome said from behind him. He turned and looked at her, sensing her fright. "Mom's going to get upset," she whispered. "I…I don't want that. I don't want to talk about it. I just…"

He put his arm around her shoulders. "I'll tell her, if you want," he offered. She nodded.

"Thanks."

They walked into the house together, and were immediately greeted by Mrs. Higurashi. "Welcome home, dear," she said pleasantly.

"I'm going to take a bath," Kagome said quietly, stepping past her mother and heading up the stairs.

Mrs. Higurashi looked from her daughter's retreating back to InuYasha. "What happened?" she asked, worry written on her face.

* * *

Shippo sat by Kaede, stunned. He could hardly believe what Sango and Miroku had just told them. In the rational part of his mind, he knew that it made sense, and explained all that had been…_wrong_…today. But the other half of his mind refused to believe that something like that could have happened to Kagome. It just wasn't possible.

Suddenly, Sango stood and ran from the hut, tears in her eyes. "Sango!" Kaede called after her, but she received no reply.

"I'll go find her," Miroku said quietly.

**Is it okay? Please tell me! Do you think I kept everyone in character? I hope so! Review please! Onegai? Por favor? **


	3. Aftershock

**I know last chapter was short, just bear with me! Please? I'll work on making them longer!!!!**

**Otulia: We don't own InuYasha. Sorry to disappoint ya'.**

Aftershock

Miroku found Sango sitting by the rice paddies, staring into the water. "Sango?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

She didn't answer, and he sat down beside her. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him sadly, tears sliding down her cheeks. "It's my fault," she whispered. "It's my fault that Kagome got hurt."

"It isn't your fault, Sango. You couldn't have known the bandits were there," Miroku replied soothingly.

"But it was my idea to go to the hot springs, and I went unarmed! If I had taken my hiraikotsu, or even my katana, then I could've…" She trailed off, hiding her face in her arms.

Miroku pulled her into an embrace, stroking her hair. "Don't blame yourself. Bad things happen. You can't blame yourself for everything that goes wrong."

She cried on his shoulder, letting out all her pent-up guilt and grief, and the terror she'd felt.

* * *

InuYasha sat outside Kagome's door, listening to her steady, even breathing. She'd gone straight to bed after her bath without speaking to anyone, and had fallen asleep instantly.

He sighed, staring at the floor. Her family had taken it better than he could have hoped. He had been afraid that they'd be angry with him for not being there to protect her, but he had been proven wrong. Her mother had cried, as any mother would, but understood that Kagome didn't want to be bothered about it. She would talk when she was ready. Sota had only wanted to know if his sister would be okay, and Gramps listened with a sad acceptance, showing none of his usual distrust toward InuYasha.

A small whimper reached his ears. He stood and opened the door a little, looking in. Kagome was curled up on her bed, tears leaking from her eyes. "Kagome? Are you alright?"

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked at him. "Uh-huh. I just…had a bad dream." She didn't have to say what it was about; he already knew.

"Do you want me to sit in here with you?" he asked quietly.

With a grateful look clear in her eyes, she nodded. "Please?"

InuYasha slipped through the door and closed it behind him. "I'll be right here," he said, sitting on the floor by the foot of her bed. "Try to get some sleep."

**Don't kill me for it being so short! I wanted to update, but I have writer's block!!!! Please review with ideas!!!!**


	4. Fear Realized

**I finally came up with something! Of course, it only happened due to the large amount of help O-Mega Lead has given me. You know, like, ideas, suggestions, comments, and sending me a message every three days or so telling me to hurry up and get on with it. In fact, this whole entire chapter began as one of those ideas…Gomen! I know I'm horribly late!!! Forgive me! I've been up to my ears in the silliness that is One Piece and Kyou Kara Maou!!! I couldn't concentrate on this! –cries dramatically-**

**Otulia: We don't own InuYasha. Or even the initial idea behind this chapter. We only borrowed and tweaked it to better fit what we have planned. But be sure to thank O-Mega Lead! **

Fear Realized

Sleep would not come. She felt better, having InuYasha nearby, but each time sleep began to overtake her, memories flooded into her mind, jolting her awake. Each time, she chided herself on her foolishness, telling herself that she was safe. She was in her own time, in her own home, and InuYasha was with her. Nothing could happen. But as she drifted off again, the wicked cackling of the mountain bandit filled her head, making her instantly alert.

She glanced at InuYasha. He was still seated by the foot of her bed, but his head was lowered. It seemed that he was asleep. She knew that he would probably awaken at the slightest sound, but she needed him. And at the same time, he needed sleep, too. He hadn't slept the night before, because of the new moon, and since he had been human at the time, he needed extra sleep now.

Being as silent as possible, she slipped out of her bed and onto the floor next to him. She didn't know what purpose this might serve; she had simply wanted to be nearer to him.

"Kagome?"

She jumped and turned toward him. He was watching her, and even in the dim light, she could see the concern in his eyes.

"Can't sleep?" he asked gently.

She shook her head sadly. "Every time I close my eyes, I can hear his voice," she whimpered, shuddering at the memory.

He sighed inwardly. He didn't know what to do for her. He wanted desperately to help her accept what had happened and be able to move on, but he didn't know how. Then, an idea struck him. If the memory of the bandit's voice was keeping her awake, then perhaps, she needed another voice to listen to. One less threatening and more familiar.

He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "I want to tell you something my mother once said to me."

She nodded against his shoulder, her eyelids drooping.

Thoughts of his mother were always hard. Taking a calming breath, he continued. "It was back when I was still a pup, too small to defend myself. We weren't really wanted in the village we lived in, and the older children hated me for what I am. They had ganged up on me, and by the time I had gotten away, I was hurt pretty badly. Back then, I didn't know what it meant to be a half-demon. Mother tried to explain to me why everyone hated me, but I didn't understand. Then she looked me straight in the eyes and told me that terrible things may happen, but life goes on. And if you're strong, you can overcome anything. All you have to do is keep your eyes looking forward, and your feet moving. And once you're far enough away, then you can look back, and though the pain may still be there, it won't hold you down."

He lowered his gaze to Kagome. He hadn't noticed when she had fallen asleep, so caught up in his memory he had been. Gingerly, so as not to wake her, he lifted her back onto her bed and pulled the blanket over her. Then, he resumed his seat on the floor, picking up his own slumber where he'd left off

* * *

"Alright, I'm off to school," Kagome announced.

"Are you sure, dear? You can stay home today if you'd like," her mother offered gently.

Kagome shook her head. "Thanks, but I really want to catch up on my studies," she replied with a smile. It was fake, and everyone knew it.

"Well, if you're sure…" her mother conceded.

With a nod, she picked up her school bag and walked to the door. Slipping on her shoes, she opened the door and stepped into the sunshine to find InuYasha standing right there waiting for her.

"You'll be alright?" he asked gently, staring at something in the distance.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," she answered slowly. "School is…familiar. I'll be fine. But…" she hesitated, looking embarrassed. "Could you walk with me?"

He nodded and disappeared. A moment later, he returned with his baseball cap planted firmly over his ears.

They walked in a silence that was tense, but not awkward. Nothing needed to be said; it was enough that InuYasha was there with her. He made her feel safe; without him she wouldn't have had the courage to walk the distance between the shrine and the school.

* * *

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Eri asked at lunchtime.

Yuka looked at her closely. "You've been acting really out-of-it all day," she remarked.

"You're not still sick, are you?" Ayumi asked, concerned. "Your grandfather said you had the padriatic flu."

Kagome sweat-dropped inwardly. _That's not even a real illness,_ she thought. Outwardly, she plastered on a fake smile. "I'm fine, really, guys.

Just then, Hojo came over to them. "I'm glad you're feeling well enough to come to school today, Kagome."

"Thanks, Hojo," she replied, desperately hoping he wasn't about to ask her on a date.

"I was wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me through the park after school." He sounded so hopeful that it made Kagome feel bad about having to decline.

"Well, you see..." Before she could come up with an excuse, Yuka butted in.

"Of course she'll go with you!" she exclaimed.

Eri nodded. "Kagome would be delighted."

Hojo's smile brightened. "Alright, I'll see you after school, Kagome!" He walked away, leaving Kagome stuttering.

"Guys, I can't! I have to-"

"You're going, and that's final!" Eri said in her no-nonsense voice. "You're always getting sick and missing your dates with him."

"This is your big chance!" Ayumi said excitedly.

Kagome sighed. Sometimes, she hated her friends.

InuYasha, perched easily outside, scowled. How could Kagome let her friends order her around like that?

* * *

"It sure is a nice day, isn't it?" Hojo said cheerily.

And it was a nice day. The warm sun was shining down on them, and the air was clear and fresh. Other people in the park laughed merrily, enjoying the day. It was all lost on Kagome.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked. "You seem a little tense." He casually touched her arm when he said this. If she had been tense before, it was nothing compared to now.

The memory of that awful night jumped to the top of her mind. She recalled the sounds of the bandits' voices, their laughter. And…they way he grabbed her, pulling her off into the trees, away from Sango, away from safety…

"Kagome?"

With a yelp, she pulled away from him, dashing away. Her fear overwhelmed her, and she lost all sense of where she was.

InuYasha dropped from the tree where he'd been watching her, and stood in her path. She ran into his arms, trying her hardest not to cry. "It's alright, Kagome," he said softly. The depth of her fear worried him. That Hojo guy had just been concerned, and hadn't done anything wrong to get this response from her.

She clung to him, shaking uncontrollably. "InuYasha," she whispered, burying her face in his haori.

Hojo watched, concerned. Something must have happened to Kagome, something terrifying. But it was clear that she trusted this person, whoever he was. Maybe, some other time, Kagome would be able to tell him what had happened. Without a word, he turned and walked away.

* * *

Sango stared at the clouds as they passed by overhead, lost in thought.

Miroku, seated next to her, said quietly, "Kagome was really frightened by those bandits."

Sango nodded. "She's never been in a situation like that, and she doesn't know how to defend herself."

"You've dealt with men like that before?" Miroku asked, surprised.

She nodded. "Luckily, Father had taught me how to fight them off without killing them. Fighting demons is one thing, but fighting humans, that's completely different."

They sat in silence for a while. Then Sango spoke again. "I'll teach Kagome what my father taught me."

**THE END! Okay, I'm sorry it took me so long, once again! Really! Just review, and if you have any suggestions, let me know! Once again, a special arigatou to O-Mega Lead for all the assistance. Much appreciated!**


	5. The First Step

**This fic is hereby dedicated to O-Mega Lead, who pretty much gave me the entire plot. **

**Feel free to bash me with heavy objects for taking so dang long to update.**

**Oh, and I don't own InuYasha.**

The First Step

It had been more than a week. Kagome had shown no signs of wanting to go back to the Feudal Era. And InuYasha's patience was wearing thin.

"You know you can't hide out here forever," he remarked quietly, sitting beside her on her bed.

She rolled onto her side, turning her back to him. "I know," she mumbled.

He sighed inwardly. "I understand that it's scary for you, but you can't let your fears get the better of you. Don't be weak, Kagome."

She was silent for some time, before finally turning over to face him. "I'll try, InuYasha," she whispered, closing her eyes.

A small smile appeared on his face, and he gently took her hand in his, watching her as she drifted off into sleep.

"I know."

* * *

Kagome stood beside the well, and took a deep breath. "I can do this," she said to herself, refusing to back down. 

"You ready?" InuYasha asked. When she nodded, he picked up her yellow backpack, once again bulging with supplies, and took her hand. "Then let's go." Together, they jumped into the well's depth, and were engulfed by the familiar blue light of time travel.

Climbing out on the other side, Kagome looked around warily. The shadows under the trees filled her with an uneasiness she had never felt before, and she shivered involuntarily. She jumped when InuYasha clapped a hand on her shoulder. "C'mon," he said in his usual gruff manner. "The others are waiting for us."

She looked at him and smiled, walking beside him as they made their way to the village. As long as InuYasha was himself, she'd be okay. It was normal, and it felt safe.

* * *

Crimson eyes flicked from the mirror to the figure standing pensively in the shadows. 

"Find out what happened to the miko," a cold voice commanded.

The figure obediently slipped out into the dark corridor.

* * *

Shippo slept soundly, curled up in Kagome's lap as she sat with the others inside Kaede's hut. Night had fallen, and the quiet disturbed her, but she refused to let it show. She didn't want to worry her friends, no matter how afraid she was. 

"Kagome," Sango said, breaking the silence.

"What is it, Sango?"

"Tomorrow, if you'd like, I want to start teaching you some self-defense. It's not that I think you're weak or anything. It's just that, fighting demons and fighting humans are completely different things."

Kagome smiled, much to Sango's relief. "Thanks, Sango. It would make me fell a whole lot safer."

Outside the hut, a lone saimyosho turned and flew off into the night.

* * *

"Wha' d'ya' mean? Ain't been no lassies like dat round 'ere.' 

"Wait jus' a sec. Ya' mean tha' lass that knew 'ow tah fight? Tha' was more'n a week ago."

"An' tha' other lass wi' 'er, right?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Hey, wha' the-"

"The man's dead!"

A shadowed figure smirked behind a fan, turning to leave. It had been easier than anticipated to gather the information needed.

**Okay, I've actually got a real reason for taking forever to update this time. My internet connection was horrible, and I couldn't get anything uploaded. But it got fixed today! Yayness! So, please review!**


	6. Resolutions

**Next chappie! Hopefully I can manage to make this one longer than the last…**

**Otulia: By decree of the Universal Council, InuYasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Not us. How disappointing.**

Resolutions

InuYasha sat in the doorway of the hut, watching his comrades as they slept. Kagome had been the last to fall asleep, as expected, but her usual bout of fear and nightmares hadn't taken hold, and for that, InuYasha was glad. He hated to see her in such a frightened state, and to know that returning to the Feudal Era didn't cause her to panic was a great relief.

He stiffened suddenly, sniffing the air. A familiar scent was drifting to him from the outskirts of the village. He started to get up, but hesitated, his gaze landing on Kagome's sleeping form. He didn't want to leave her. What if she awoke? Would she panic if he wasn't there? He didn't want that. No, he decided, settling back down, he would stay.

When the glowing, snake-like demons began floating around outside the hut, he did his best to ignore them. Things were going well, he kept telling himself. No point in causing trouble just when everything was starting to go back to normal. His eye twitched when one of them entered into the hut, clearly beckoning him. Irritated, he jumped to his feet and stormed into the night.

* * *

Kagome awoke with a start, knowing immediately what was wrong. InuYasha wasn't in the hut. She had come to know the feel of his presence, and could not sleep if he was not nearby. 

She sat up, grabbing her bow and arrows as silently as she could, and slowly rose to her feet. Straining her ears, she could hear InuYasha's familiar irritated grumbling coming from outside, and crept to the doorway of the hut to peer out. He was marching out of the village, completely focused on where he was going. She opened her mouth to call out to him, but no sound came, and she settled on following him instead.

He trudged into the forest, and was lost to her sight. She hesitated at the tree line, fear creeping up on her, but she didn't want to go back alone. So, gathering her courage, Kagome walked into the enveloping shadows under the trees.

* * *

Kikyo, though she outwardly remained as impassive as ever, was thoroughly irritated. It had never taken her so long to lure InuYasha away from his comrades, and she was tired of waiting. He had been gone for some time, and she was truly concerned that something was wrong. Though she hated to admit it, her old feelings for the hanyou were returning, and she was genuinely worried about him. 

At long last, he appeared, and she found herself feeling quite relieved. He was unharmed, and didn't appear to be acting strangely, except…he seemed to be angry. Had he perhaps gotten into a fight with her reincarnation?

"InuYasha," she started to say, but stopped when she felt the familiar crackle of spiritual power nearby. She hadn't come to cause trouble, but she was still annoyed at having to wait, and figured she'd at least get some fun out of it.

* * *

Kagome froze when she saw Kikyo. She couldn't believe that InuYasha, after promising to be there for her, would go back to Kikyo. At least not this soon. 

What she saw next made her heart break. Kikyo ran straight into InuYasha's arms. She looked away, blinking back tears. It was just too much for her to take. She was too upset to even be angry at him for it.

"If you don't have any information about Naraku, leave."

Kagome blinked, and slowly lifted her head. Had InuYasha really said that to Kikyo? She blinked again; was he really pushing her away? It couldn't be true; surely she was dreaming. InuYasha loved Kikyo, and would never treat her so coldly.

"InuYasha, what is the meaning of this?" Kikyo asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Just go away, Kikyo," InuYasha said. "I can't keep coming to see you. Kagome needs me. If you learn anything about Naraku, you can share it with everyone."

Kagome's breath caught in her chest. A million confused thoughts and feelings whirled around inside of her, but one thing stood out over them all. InuYasha had just rejected Kikyo. For her.

* * *

InuYasha watched Kikyo leave, trying to calm the fury of emotions within him. He didn't want to be so cold to her, and he didn't want her to go, but the simple truth was that Kagome needed him, and Kikyo didn't. He wasn't so dense as to not realize that. 

The wind shifted, and he suddenly picked up Kagome's scent. He turned around to see her stepping out from behind a tree, tears in her eyes, but a smile gracing her lips. He should have known she would follow him; she always did. But he hadn't expected it. And he hadn't expected what she did next.

She nearly tackled him in an embrace, clinging to him tightly. "I'm so happy, InuYasha," she whispered, as he just stood there, dumbfounded. "I'm so happy, because…because…" She trailed off mid-sentence, tilting her head up to look at him. There was something inexpressible in her deep brown eyes, and it took his breath away to look in them.

He was reminded of their fight against Kaguya, so long ago now, but her words still came fresh to his mind. _'I love you as a half-demon!'_

"Kagome," he murmured, closing his arms around her and breathing in her scent. He knew he had made the right decision in standing by Kagome, because...

…leaving Kikyo didn't hurt, not when he had Kagome.

* * *

"So that is the cause of her fear," the figure shrouded in shadows mused. "I can use this to my advantage." 

Crimson eyes glowed as he began formulating his plan.

**Okay, so I tried to leave the ending all mysterious, but I bet ya'll know who the person is by now. It's quite obvious. But, hey, whatever. Hope you enjoyed the fluff!**


	7. Courage Returning

**Okay, I bet you're all just dying to know what the evil plan is, right? Well, you'll have to be patient. I'm not telling.**

**Otulia: Neither Kinkatia, nor I, is Rumiko Takahashi. **

Courage Returning

One week with virtually no demons to fight, no jewel shards detected, and nothing to do. Unless you were Kagome or Sango, that is. The taijiya had been busy training her miko friend in the art of self-defense, starting with the simplest thing of all; pressure points.

"You learn quickly, Kagome," Sango said with a smile. "But let's see if you can put it to use."

Kagome blinked, confused. "How?"

Sango's smile turned into a smirk as she lifted her voice and called, "Miroku, could you come here please?"

Kagome caught on to her plan and grinned when she heard the monk reply, "Coming, Sango dearest!"

Boy was he in for a surprise.

* * *

The sun set on a small group making slow progress in setting up camp. Two of the group members, a young man in purple robes, and a hanyou clad in red, were slumped against trees, unable to move. The hanyou was complaining loudly, having regained the use of his mouth, but the monk was silent, watching as the two girls got everything in order. An air of triumph followed them as they moved around, further irritating the hanyou. 

A young kitsune looked from the girls to the guys, and trotted over to the monk curiously. "Hey, Miroku," he said, "what happened to you and InuYasha?"

"Lady Kagome was practicing a new skill of hers," he replied with a sigh, accompanied by a string of curses from InuYasha.

* * *

Kikyo watched them from a distance, emotions conflicting inside her. But she pushed them away, concentrating on the puzzle that lay before her. She needed to know what had caused InuYasha's sudden loyalty to her reincarnation, for it could prove to be an import factor down the road ahead. It could be nothing at all, or it could be something serious. However, things within the group seemed to have returned to normal. But still, there was something about the whole situation that bothered her...

* * *

She approached her master carefully, sensing his weariness and seeing the flash in his glowing eyes that warned of the danger she was in. "You called for me?" 

Those crimson eyes turned on her, gleeful. "I have another task for you," he told her levelly. His attention flicked to a shadow in the corner, and someone stepped out of the shadows into the open, silver eyes glistening with some untold thought that sent chills up her spine.

"You will take Akemiro and find InuYasha. You are to keep the monk and demon slayer occupied while he takes care of InuYasha and the miko."

She nodded, and backed out of the room, her brother following.

**Okay, hit me, it's super-short. But I had to end it here! Really! Consider this a filler chapter, and I promise that the next chapter will be both longer, but much, much better. And I'll upload it tomorrow afternoon, I promise!**


	8. Recurrence

**Okay, to make up for the horribly short chapter I gave ya'll last time, I'm making this one a little more eventful. Promise not to hate me BEFORE you read it, please!**

**Otulia: Uh…I take no part in this…and we don't own InuYasha…but Akemiro is Kinkatia's…-shuffles out of range of angry reviews-**

**But first, let's have the cool quote of the moment!**

_**Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,**_

_**Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before… **_

**-**_**The Raven, **_**by Edgar Allen Poe**

Recurrence

"I sense a jewel shard!"

Everyone stopped walking and turned to Kagome, waiting for more information on the shard's whereabouts. It was the first one she had sensed since she had returned to the Feudal Era, and the entire group was eager to get their hands on it.

"It's only one," she continued, concentrating on its power. "That way, really close." She pointed to the woods to the right of the path they were following, dark and foreboding, even in the midday sun.

"I'm not picking up the scent of any demon," InuYasha informed them, sniffing the air.

"We should be careful anyway," Sango said. "Some demons are able to hide by masking their scent. C'mon, let's go." They set off into the trees, sticking close to one another as uneasiness crept upon them. Kagome shivered and took a hold on InuYasha's arm, seeking any sense of safety she could get from him.

It was eerily quiet, not a single forest dweller stirring. Suddenly, InuYasha cursed and dove to the side, taking Kagome and Shippo with him as Sango and Miroku jumped the opposite direction. They narrowly avoided being slashed to pieces by Kagura's familiar attack, her Dance of Blades.

"You're sharper than usual, InuYasha," she sneered, stepping out from her hiding place, her fan open in front of her at the ready.

"What are you doing here, Kagura? Naraku send you to try and steal the jewel shards again?" he countered, pushing Kagome behind him and drawing Tetsusaiga.

"On the contrary, she won't come anywhere near the shards," someone in the shadows said calmly, as if discussing the weather. "Father sent me to claim them." The speaker stepped into the open beside Kagura, the light filtering through the foliage overhead revealing a man who could only be described as a god, dressed in royal blue hakama and haori, with raven-black hair pulled back into a long ponytail, bangs framing his majestic and regal face. But his eyes were his most stunning feature. They gazed at InuYasha and Kagome, piercing in all their splendor, pure silver in color, ill intentions flickering across them in waves of unrestrained emotion.

"Who the hell are you?" InuYasha demanded. "You stink like Naraku!"

"I am called Akemiro," he answered pleasantly, giving a small bow as he made his introduction. "It is indeed an honor to meet Father's greatest foe."

With slow, measured steps, he advanced upon them. Sango, off to the side, lifted her hiraikotsu, readying herself to throw it at Naraku's newest incarnation.

"I'm your opponent," Kagura smirked, and with a swift flick of her fan, sent a gust of wind at the demon slayer, knocking her off her feet.

Akemiro cocked his head to the side, glancing at Kagura. "Dear sister, do be so kind as to keep those two out of my way. I simply cannot afford any lapse in my concentration, and Father will be most displeased if we fail to complete our task."

"You think I don't know that?" the wind sorceress snapped. "I know what I'm doing!" To prove her point, she sent Sango and Miroku dashing for cover with a Dance of Blades.

"Kirara!" Sango called, and instantly the fire neko demon was beside her, fully transformed and ready for battle. The taijiya leapt onto her back and took to the air, pulling Miroku up with her. Kagura smirked and plucked her feather from her hair, enlarging and jumping onto it, following them up through the foliage.

Akemiro watched all this with an amused glint in his eyes. "My sister seems to be enjoying herself," he said fondly. "But now, I have matters to attend to." He turned his silvery gaze on Kagome, giving her a peculiar smile. "My, you are beautiful," he remarked, letting his eyes travel over her. She ducked behind InuYasha with a squeak of fear, Shippo clinging tightly to her shoulder.

InuYasha growled as Akemiro advanced. "You stay away from Kagome!"

The demon paused, tilting his head to the side. "Oh? You act as if she is yours, but I sense she is unmarked."

His intentions hit Kagome suddenly, and she backed away fearfully, eyes wide with panic. "J-just l-leave m-me al-lone," she stammered, tripping over a protruding tree root and falling to the ground.

Akemiro's eyes widened in what could have been described as concern. "You're not hurt, are you?" he asked, stepping forward more quickly than before.

InuYasha jumped in front of him, Tetsusaiga upraised. "Kaze no Ki-"

"You're in my way," he snarled, glaring at InuYasha, and with a wave of his hand, the silver-haired hanyou was frozen in place.

"Wh-what the hell?! What did you do to me?!" His ranting was ignored, however, as the demon continued past him, and in one swift movement, was kneeling before Kagome.

"Stay away!" she shouted, frantically trying to crawl backwards, away from him, as InuYasha continued to struggle against the spell holding him captive.

"Now, now, no need to be so rude," Akemiro admonished gently, reaching out a slender hand to stroke her cheek.

Shippo, who had been quietly clinging to her shoulder all this time, suddenly leapt at his face, fox fire in hand. "I won't let you hurt Kagome!"

Chuckling, the silver-eyed demon brushed away the attack and caught the poor kitsune. "Aren't you adorable?" he said, smiling. "What a pity I have to do away with you. But perhaps you could entertain me some beforehand?"

Shippo squealed in fright as he was tossed in the air. With another wave of his hand, Akemiro halted his descent, leaving the frightened young demon suspended immobile in the air. "Please don't try to fight it," he implored. "It's really no use. I've enclosed you with my youki, and am using it to control your body. There is no escape."

"Damn you, let him go!" InuYasha shouted, catching Akemiro's attention.

"I'd nearly forgotten about you, InuYasha," he stated. "Why don't I use this kit to demonstrate the extent of my abilities?" By simply twitching his fingers, he proceeded to make Shippo dance around InuYasha in a comical fashion before perching him on a small rock.

During this time, Kagome had managed to get to her feet unnoticed, and was slowly making her way behind the trees and out of view. All she knew was that she had to get away, to find Sango and Miroku, and to help InuYasha and Shippo. But above all, she could not give this demon the chance he wanted. She wouldn't be able to handle something like that.

Kirara suddenly burst through the leaves behind her, Sango and Miroku clinging tightly to her so as not to fall off, followed closely by a very irate wind sorceress. "Stop running like cowards!"

Kirara landed on the forest floor, skidding to a halt, Miroku and Sango immediately getting off her back. Sango threw her hiraikotsu with all her might at Kagura, narrowly missing Akemiro, who was watching the exchange with mild interest. But Kagura swung her fan and summoned a gust of wind, turning the weapon back at its wielder.

At the last second, Miroku shoved Sango out of the way, taking the blow himself, and falling to the ground, unconscious. "Miroku!"

Kagome saw her chance, and quickly grabbed an arrow; she drew back on her bowstring and took aim. She doubted she could hit Akemiro, suspecting he would be protected by a barrier like Naraku's, but if what he said was true, and he was keeping InuYasha bound with his youki, then maybe she could purify it and release him. The arrow bit through the air, glowing brightly, and passing within inches from the hanyou. Instantly he was freed, and charged headlong at his captor.

And then, everyone but she and Kagura froze. "What a bother," Akemiro sighed. "Sister dear, I thought you said you could handle them. Yet here you are, breaking my concentration."

"Do you honestly think I wanted them to come back down here?" Kagura demanded, snapping her fan shut angrily.

"I wouldn't put it past you. But no matter; I'm afraid you'll just have to kill them now, while I have them subdued."

Kagura glared at him, infuriated by his degrading tone of voice. She flicked her fan back open and pointed it at him. "You are such a pain! Why don't I just kill you instead, and save myself the trouble of putting up with you!" Not a moment later, she dropped her weapon and fell to her knees, clutching at her chest, her face contorted in pain.

Akemiro shook his head sadly. "Father has been more than generous with you, sister. You should watch yourself; he may not be willing to deal with your antics for much longer."

He received a hate-filled glare in return, but pointedly ignored it, turning his attention back to Kagome. "It seems your miko powers purify my youki before it can touch you," he remarked curiously. "Ah, but this makes it all the more entertaining."

Kagome dropped her bow in panic and fled into the trees behind her. She was just out of sight when Akemiro vanished in a flurry of footsteps, overtaking her almost immediately and throwing her to the ground.

In the next instant, he was on top of her, his lips pressed to hers, silencing her scream. She struggled to get away, and, remembering what Sango had taught her, swung her hand up, but he caught her wrist and forced her arm back down, trapping her other arm in the process. Tears fell from her eyes as she continued to struggle, fighting back the memory of the bandit.

When he finally freed her mouth, she gasped for breath, staring fearfully up at him. "Please, stop," she sobbed, knowing that her plea would fall on deaf ears. He looked at her sadly, and wiped a tear from her face. "There's no need to cry, dearest," he said softly. "No need at all." He kissed her cheek tenderly and ran his palm down her side, finding the edge of her shirt and slipping his hand under it. She couldn't take it anymore, and screamed.

Back where he had been left, InuYasha heard her crying out, and something within him snapped. With renewed vigor, he struggled against Akemiro's binding youki, fury rising within him. He had promised Kagome that he would protect her, and he'd be damned if he failed her now!

Using every ounce of his strength, he finally broke free and rushed past Kagura, still on her knees, after Kagome. They hadn't gotten far, and as he came into sight, he saw Akemiro look up at him, calm surprise evident on his features. The demon quickly jumped up, leaving Kagome free to get away, and she scrambled out of the way in a panic, tears streaming down her face.

"I seem to have allowed you to escape," Akemiro said thoughtfully. "No matter; I'll simply bind you again."

"Go ahead and try!" InuYasha snarled, bringing Tetsusaiga up and charging forward.

Akemiro swung his arm up and pointed at him, silver eyes narrowing dangerously. He concentrated his youki on the incoming hanyou, smiling with morbid satisfaction as he felt it rush toward his opponent. InuYasha staggered, meeting resistance, but pushed through it, determined not to fall into the trap a third time.

Akemiro backed up swiftly, narrowly avoiding being sliced in two by Tetsusaiga. "It isn't possible for a mere half-demon to resist my binding!" he snarled, losing his cool.

"Don't you underestimate me!" InuYasha returned, slashing at him again, and once more, just barely missing his target.

Several more times, Akemiro sidestepped InuYasha's swings, formulating a plan. If he couldn't make InuYasha his puppet, he'd have to do the next best thing. With a flick of his wrist, he forced Miroku, just waking up, to march into the scene.

"What's going on?" the confused monk asked as he advanced on InuYasha. "Why can't I control my body?" His eyes wide, he involuntarily lunged at his friend, stumbling as he fought against Akemiro's control.

"Dammit, you bastard, leave him out of this!" InuYasha yelled angrily, sidestepping Miroku's punch.

"Oh, but this is so entertaining," Akemiro said smilingly, his fingers twitching as he controlled Miroku's movements, making him go after InuYasha again and again.

Kagome stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding before her. InuYasha couldn't attack Akemiro while Miroku was in the way, and unless he was stopped, Miroku would remain his puppet. It seemed so hopeless. There had to be something, anything she could do…

Her eyes alighted on one of her arrows on the ground nearby. They had scattered when she had fallen to the ground. They were useless, however, without her bow, and she was shaking too much to be able to aim properly even if she had it. Her spiritual power purified Akemiro's youki…Miroku's should, too!

"Miroku!" she shouted, voice quavering. "He's controlling you with his youki! Use your spiritual power!"

Miroku did as she instructed, and was immediately freed. InuYasha smirked as he stumbled out of the way, and raised Tetsusaiga above his head. "Wind Scar!"

The force of the attack was astounding, and should have obliterated Akemiro, were it not for the barrier that sprang into existence around him. He laughed merrily. "It appears that Father values me. You shall not be able to harm me!" Grinning, he thrust both his arms toward InuYasha as the barrier faded, sending the full force of his youki at him, determined to regain control.

* * *

Kikyo frowned and lowered her bow, resuming her silent observation from the trees. Not even she could break through one of Naraku's barriers unaided, and so, she could not harm this new incarnation, however much she loathed him. She could only hope InuYasha would be victorious.

* * *

InuYasha smirked, raising Tetsusaiga once more, the blade turning red.

"You shall be mine to command!"

"Backlash Wave!"

Kagome and Miroku were forced to cover their eyes against the light of the impact. Wind swirled angrily around them, whistling through the trees and knocking branches to the ground. A high, agonized scream was heard above the gusts, and then…nothing. They lowered their arms to see InuYasha, panting heavily, standing alone amid a circle of destruction, Tetsusaiga still held out in front of him, fully transformed. He had put everything he had into his attack, and had miraculously succeeded in breaking through the barrier. Akemiro was no more.

Tetsusaiga pulsed, once, twice, and glowed a faint blue before returning to its normal state. InuYasha, disregarding the change, hurriedly slid it back into its sheathe and rushed to Kagome, kneeling down in front of her. He embraced her lovingly, hating how badly she was trembling, hating the stench of Akemiro all over her, and hating himself for being weak. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair.

As she began to cry again, Miroku slipped away, back to where Sango, Shippo and Kirara had been caught in Akemiro's spell. Kagura was nowhere to be found.

* * *

Kikyo listened as InuYasha comforted Kagome. Now that she knew what had happened, why InuYasha couldn't leave the girl, she felt less bitter about his actions, and even angrier at Naraku. Only he would stoop so low as to use something like that against his enemies. Determination in her cold eyes, she walked away; she would make sure Naraku was sent to his grave.

* * *

Crimson eyes turned away from the mirror.

A voice, normally cool and collected, snapped angrily at the girl holding the round looking-glass.

"Leave me, Kanna."

The white child padded noiselessly from the room, leaving her master to his thoughts.

_I underestimated him. It will not happen again._

**Ta-da! What a wonderful chapter, ne? Anywho, this is a reward to all of you who have been with me since the beginning, and have put up with my procrastination, badly written and unbearably short chapters, and lack of ideas. You should all thank O-Mega Lead for giving me the ideas, actually. So, review, and look for the next chapter! It's not started quite yet, so it may take a little longer to get up than this one did, but I'm starting on it right away!**


	9. Reassurance

**I'd like to thank all who reviewed the last chapter! Your reviews are what're keeping me going on this story! **

**Gutok: No own InuYasha!**

Reassurance

"You shouldn't have done that, Miroku," Sango admonished quietly, sitting down next to the monk. He was lying on his back in the grass, trying not to move lest his bruised ribs cause him even more pain.

"What did I do now?" he asked with a grin, glancing at her from the corners of his eyes.

"You took the blow from my hiraikotsu," she replied, hugging her knees. "It wasn't the first time it had been turned back on me; I was braced for it. But…you weren't, and you got hurt."

With a grimace, he sat up, ignoring Sango's protests. Looking her in the eyes, he said, "You would've been hurt, too. I couldn't just stand aside and let that happen."

"I know, but still…" She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, overcome with guilt. She had known what would happen when she attacked Kagura, and she had done it anyway. And because of that, Miroku had gotten hurt.

"It's okay, Sango," he said quietly, putting an arm around her shoulders and ignoring the pain in his side.

"Miroku, Sango! Are InuYasha and Kagome up yet?" Shippo asked, bounding over to them with Kirara.

Miroku looked up into a nearby tree. InuYasha was seated on one of the lower branches, back to the trunk, Kagome held protectively in his arms. Both were sleeping soundly, and showed no signs of waking. "They'll probably sleep for a while longer, Shippo. They need to rest after that battle yesterday."

Sango nodded in agreement. "They both went through a lot; I wouldn't be surprised if they stayed up there until supper."

* * *

InuYasha slowly blinked open his eyes, noting the stiffness of his muscles. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so soundly, he mused, as he looked down at the girl in his arms. "Kagome," he murmured, absently stroking her hair as he recalled the aftermath of the battle against Akemiro. Kagome had been distraught, clinging to him in utter fear until she had cried herself into exhaustion. It pained him to see her like that, and he wanted nothing more than to see her laughing.

She stirred, bringing him back to the present. "Inu…Yasha…"

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

She lifted her head and turned her gaze on him. "Yeah," she replied slowly. "I'm okay. Just…stay with me?"

He nodded. "Are you sure you don't want to go home?"

"Uh-huh. I'm not going to run away and hide. That's just what Naraku wants." They were silent for a moment before she spoke again, her tone more serious. "InuYasha, when you killed Akemiro, did you notice that Tetsusaiga glowed?"

**And cut. I finally figured out why I was stuck. I had no choice but to end this chapter here, because I couldn't think of a decent way to merge from this point into a time skip without it sounding stupid. So…I'll get to work on that next chapter now, and I apologize for the wait…**


	10. Confessions And Confusion

**Just as a warning…put a time skip in here. Make it however long you want. Well, make it relatively short. It can't be too long. Anyway, just remember to insert your own time skip, or you'll get confused!**

**Otulia: I quit! Surely by now everyone knows you're NOT Rumiko Takahashi in disguise!**

Confessions and Confusion

"InuYasha," Kagome inquired, perched upon said hanyou's back. "Where exactly are we going?"

"Weren't you paying any attention before we left?" he grumbled, leaping from treetop to treetop.

_(Flashback)_

"_You guys head back to Kaede's. Kagome and I will catch up later," InuYasha said._

"_Alright, but where are you going?" Sango inquired while strapping her hiraikotsu to her back._

"_Something's different about Tetsusaiga, and I want to find out what," he explained._

"_Can I come?" Shippo asked excitedly._

_InuYasha glared at him. "No way, runt."_

"_Kagome?" he pouted._

_She smiled endearingly at him. "Why don't you go with Miroku and Sango this time, okay?"_

_(End)_

"So we're going to find out something about Tetsusaiga. That doesn't explain where," she retorted.

"We're going to visit Totosai, stupid. Where else would I be going if it involves Tetsusaiga?"

"Oh," Kagome replied sheepishly. "Alright then." Sighing, she allowed herself to relax, knowing InuYasha wouldn't let her fall. Her arms snaked around his neck in a sort of gentle embrace. "InuYasha…thank you…"

"Feh," was his standard reply. But he was infinitely grateful she couldn't see the blush that had worked its way onto his face.

* * *

"I can't believe the old geezer moved his forge again! Just when I actually want to talk to him, too!" Kagome walked alongside him, smiling at his complaints. She was reminded of the days when she had first come to the feudal era, and it was just her and InuYasha searching for the jewel shards, before they had met Miroku, Shippo, or Sango.

Suddenly, a familiar sensation tickled at the edge of her mind, and she stopped in her tracks. "I sense jewel shards coming this way," she informed InuYasha when he gave her an inquiring look.

He immediately tensed. "Is it Naraku?"

"Actually, I think it's…"

Before she could finish her thought, the very demon she had expected flew out of nowhere and kicked InuYasha away from her, taking him spot by her side.

"…Kouga."

Spluttering, InuYasha picked himself off the ground. "What was that for, you mangy wolf?"

Ignoring him, as was his custom, he took Kagome's hands in his own. "I picked up your scent Kagome, and wanted to make sure mutt face here wasn't—Hey, what's wrong?"

Kagome, feeling the touch of his hands on hers, and hearing him speak, was instantly reminded of Akemiro, and had involuntarily squeaked in fear and retreated behind InuYasha.

Kouga was sorely confused. "What did I do?" he asked helplessly.

Kagome, ashamed of her reaction, said over InuYasha's shoulder, "I'm sorry, Kouga. It's not your fault. It's just…"

InuYasha finished the explanation for her, somberly saying, "Naraku pulled a dirty trick. It was low, even for him."

It took a moment for this news to register with the wolf demon, but when it did, he was furious. "You let something happen to her, didn't you, you worthless mutt?"

InuYasha remained silent, knowing to deny the accusation would be lying.

"It wasn't his fault," Kagome interjected, wanting to avoid a fight between the two if at all possible.

The wolf-demon ignored her. "Damn you, InuYasha! How dare you let something happen to her! You worthless half-breed, you can't even protect Kagome properly!"

Here, InuYasha snapped. "Shut the hell up, will ya'? I know she got hurt! I was there, dammit! But I ain't about to let it happen again, you got that, you mangy wolf?"

Kagome stepped in between them. "Kouga, listen..."

"Kagome, you're coming with me. It's clear dog breath here isn't fit to protect you."

"The hell she is! What makes you think you can just waltz off with her anytime you want?"

"Because, unlike you, I'll be able to keep her safe, that's why!"

"She'll be safe with me! Besides, I promised her I'd stay by her side!"

"You think promises from a filthy hanyou matter? I should just kill you know and save myself a lot of trouble!"

"SHUT UP!"

Both of them looked at Kagome in surprise. She was standing there with her fists clenched, eyes shining with unshed tears. "Kouga, just shut up! It's not InuYasha's fault that I got hurt! If you have to blame someone, then blame Naraku! InuYasha did everything he could to protect me! And I am NOT going anywhere with you! So just forget about it and leave us alone!"

InuYasha stared at her in shock. Either everything that had happened recently was causing her a severe amount of stress, she had lost it completely, or he was hallucinating. He figured it was probably the first.

Kouga also stared at her in shock. "Kagome…you don't know what you're saying. Why would you want to stay with this half-breed? You'll be much safer with me!"

"You want to know why? I'll tell you why! InuYasha is always there for me! He risks his own life time after time again to protect me, and I trust him with my life! And even though he can be annoying, rude, and sometimes downright impossible to put up with, I stay with him because I love him! So just GO AWAY!" She fell to her knees, furiously trying to wipe away her tears amid a shocked silence.

Slowly, as if in a stupor, Kouga backed away. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Kagome…his Kagome, his future mate…was in love with the mutt?

InuYasha was in a similar stupor. He could hardly believe his ears. Kagome had just shouted to the world that she loved him. It seemed so surreal…almost too good to be true. He knelt beside her silently and put a clawed hand on her shoulder. "Kagome?"

"I…I'm sorry, InuYasha. I…I shouldn't have…have said that…but…"

"Did you mean it?"

She nodded dumbly, unable to find her voice.

She suddenly found herself encircled by a pair of strong arms, her already blurry vision clouded by a wall of silver hair. "InuYasha?"

"I want you to know that…that I feel the same," he murmured, pulling her closer.

Kouga watched the scene unfold as his heart was breaking. Somehow, he wasn't at all surprised, but it hurt nonetheless. Fists clenched at his sides, he turned and stalked off, a single tear making its way down his face.

Suddenly, InuYasha sat back and slapped at his neck. Myoga floated down into his palm, flat as a pancake. "Did I, er, interrupt something?" he asked sheepishly, taking note of the heavy blush staining both his and Kagome's faces.

"Hey, Myoga, you wouldn't happen to know where we can find Totosai, would you?" Kagome asked, changing the subject.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

* * *

With the village in sight, Shippo had darted ahead, tired of the silence that pervaded the group in the absence of Kagome and InuYasha. Miroku was seated atop Kirara in front of Sango, wincing every time he moved.

"Once we get back to Kaede's I'm, sure she'll have something to ease your pain," Sango said quietly.

"Stop worrying so much, my dearest Sango. I'll make a speedy recovery."

She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder a moment. "You do that," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "I don't like seeing you in pain."

**Just had to add that bit at the end. Yeah, not too happy with this chapter. See, the whole confession thing played out a lot better on the little television inside my head. But I honestly couldn't see InuYasha being the first to confess his feelings, and so, here you have it. And, be happy! Two updates in one day! Now someone please leave me reviews!!! Please? I haven't gotten a single one in the twelve or so hours since I last updated, and I'm lonely!!! **


	11. Connected

**I just realized something. If the train of thought for this fic stays on the track it's currently on, and doesn't switch on over to another, this may be one of the best plots I've ever come up with. Hooray for help from my awesome idea giver!**

**Otulia: ….zzzzZzZzZzZZZZZ**

Connected

Kouga trudged back the way he had come, staring blankly at the ground, trying his hardest not to think about his recent rejection. Though he'd known it was coming, it still hurt.

He hardly noticed when Hakkaku and Ginta, along with a few wolves, came running up to him, panting heavily.

"Hey, Kouga, why the long face?" Hakkaku asked when he had caught his breath. "Didn't you find Kagome?"

"I found her," he replied tonelessly, not looking at them.

"Then why are you here? Normally you hang around with her until we catch up," Ginta inquired. Both wolf demons were worried about their leader; he was usually energetic and burning with emotion, but now, he seemed so lifeless.

"Yeah," Hakkaku added. "You usually end up in a fight with InuYasha because he gets angry when you say she's your woman."

"She's not my woman," Kouga said quietly as the truth of the matter finally hit home.

Hakkaku and Ginta stopped in their tracks.

"What?" they asked in unison, staring at him in disbelief.

"I said, she's not my woman," he repeated agitatedly. "Damn that mutt…" Without another word, he dashed off in a whirlwind of dust, leaving his confused companions behind.

* * *

Kikyo paused in her journey as the unmistakable sounds of grumbling reached her ears. She would have kept going, however, she could sense a demonic presence that felt vaguely familiar, and her instinct told her to investigate.

She approached cautiously, and soon she could clearly make out the voice. _"Stupid mutt…doesn't deserve her…"_

Peering silently around the broad trunk of a tree, her eyes fell upon a lone wolf demon standing on the bank of a calm river, staring bitterly into its depths. As she watched, he sighed heavily, shoulders slumping in defeat. Slowly, he turned from the water and sat against a nearby tree.

"Kagome…" he murmured sadly. "You never did love me, did you? I was a fool…a lovesick fool…" After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "I'll kill Naraku for what he did to her."

As silently as she had come, Kikyo slipped away. "So," she pondered aloud. "It seems that Kagome has finally made her feelings known."

Shaking her head slowly, she continued on her journey. "InuYasha," she said softly to the wind, "I truly have lost you, haven't I?"

* * *

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, turning over what he had discovered in him mind. He had successfully evaded any contact with his brother's group for some time, and judging by what he had overheard from the undead priestess, he had missed something rather momentous.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized that whatever occurred within InuYasha's group often could be traced back to Naraku in one way or another. He needed to find out more information.

His mind made up, he streaked away in search of his younger brother.

* * *

Totosai looked up from his work just in time to have a fist collide with his head. Rubbing the lump tenderly, he set the sword aside and turned to greet his visitors. "InuYasha, what brings you here?" he asked good-naturedly, adding under his breath, "And how did you find me?"

"Ah, Totosai," Myoga piped up from InuYasha's shoulder. "I thought you had informed Master InuYasha of your new whereabouts."

Sweat-dropping in his panic, he replied clumsily, "It must have slipped my mind."

"Whatever," InuYasha grumbled, seating himself in front of the old smith, Kagome settling down next to him. "I came here to ask you about Tetsusaiga."

"Eh? What about Tetsusaiga? You haven't broken it again, have you?"

InuYasha glared at the accusation, but bit back his hasty retort. He was there on serious business, and didn't really feel like arguing. "No, but it's felt different since I killed another of Naraku's incarnations," he said, handing the blade to Totosai.

The old yokai examined the blade closely. "You've also worn it down quite a bit. It'll have to be sharpened again."

"Feh, fine. Can you tell me what's different?"

Totosai was silent for a moment. "I'll see what I can do," he replied, suddenly serious. "It seems to me that Tetsusaiga's gained a new ability, but I don't like the feel of it. Tell me, this incarnation you slew…what was its strongest ability?"

**Okay, I'm ending it here to get an update. Apologies for the foreverness…I got stuck on this chapter…and I'll probably be stuck for quite a few more…**


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